Milwaukee: Violence erupts after police kill armed suspect

After an hour-long confrontation with officers, police reported that a gas station was set on fire. Police said firefighters could not get close to the blaze because of gunshots.

Earlier, more than 100 people gathered near the scene on the city’s north side and at times pushed against a line of 20 to 30 officers, some of whom were in riot gear.

At one point, the officers got in their cars to leave, and some in the crowd started smashing the windows of a squad car and another vehicle, which was set on fire. As officers returned to the scene, this time many more in riot gear, gunshots could be heard.

The shots appeared to be fired in the air by someone in the crowd.

Soon after, the crowd turned on and chased reporters and a photographer from the Journal Sentinel. One reporter was shoved to the ground and punched.

Police later tweeted that an officer was hit in the head with a brick that was thrown through a squad car window. Police said the officer was being treated at a hospital.

The violence erupted not long after a woman who identified herself as a family member of the dead man implored the people to leave the scene.

“We don’t want anyone else to go to jail or get hurt,” she told the crowd.

Some left but many stayed as tensions built. Shortly after midnight, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett asked that parents with children at the scene of the protests “get them home right now,” reported AP. 20 minutes later, he said the north side of the city was starting to calm down.

City police officials said two officers stopped two suspects in a car at about 3:30pm (local time). The suspects then took off on foot. During the pursuit, the officer shot and killed a 23-year-old Milwaukee resident, who was carrying a semiautomatic handgun, police said.

The second suspect who fled on foot, also a 23-year-old man, was apprehended and is in custody.